Adam W. Amundson, M.D.

Closed for Enrollment

• Intrathecal Opioids for Pain Control After Colorectal Resection: Determining the Optimal Dose Rochester, Minn.

  Pain control is a key for successful postoperative recovery after colorectal (i.e., involving large bowel or rectum) surgery. Spinal analgesia has been shown to be safe and efficacious and commonly used in clinical practice. It involves administering pain medicine through a small needle in the lower portion of a patient's back. The pain medications most commonly used for spinal analgesia are morphine and hydromorphone. Despite their frequent use, the dose which achieves best pain control while reducing unwanted adverse effects has not been determined. We are attempting to determine the optimal dose of spinal morphine and hydromorphone in patients undergoing minimally-invasive (i.e., surgery performed through small entry sites and using cameras) colorectal surgery.